


what do we do when the world has already burned?

by super_rainbow2021



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Dont ask questions, Forced Isolation, Gen, I want to write more of this, Magical Elements, Orphaned Character, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Self Isolation, Spin Off, Spoilers, Spoilers for Avatar: The Legend of Korra, abandoned character, and they have bonded with a form of each of the original benders, but the diary is obviously not sentient (wink wink), diverged from when Amon takes Korra's bending, do i even know how to subtle, im using a 3 level bending tree from the internet, isolated character, it's technically modern era but also future era, just roll with me here okay, no they don't want to talk about it, nonbinary avatar character, or not so subtle, probably not, subtle angst, they are actually very powerful, they just dont realize it bc theyre falling off the fucking rails, they keep trying to get the diary to talk to them, things have happened to them, who is slowly falling off the rails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/super_rainbow2021/pseuds/super_rainbow2021
Summary: When the world is healing from a bloody massacre, the unexpected happens. Or rather, it is completely expected if one would only read a fucking history book and have even a smidge of a spirits-dammed imagination.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	what do we do when the world has already burned?

**Author's Note:**

> ((posts this and fades back into the Void without answering any questions about current works))

•••

_Hello again my most faithful companion. It is a glorious morning._

_I will once again state that, though you continue to facade as a normal, nonsentient diary, I will not judge you in any negative manner should you suddenly decide to reveal your sentience. Nevertheless, I will ignore the matter for the time being. As I do every morning._

_As you know, I have been reading more in-depth from the journals left to me by my mother. They are old and threaten to fall apart in my hands as I study them, but I will make newer copies of them once I have read them cover to cover. If you would contribute your thoughts, I know you would remind me, once again, that just because I was once a book-maker does not mean I know how to carefully preserve the writings of the Avatars and the White Lotus. And if you had indeed brought that subject back into light, I would point at_ **_you,_ ** _my faithful companion, for I created you from scratch myself._

_It seems that it has been millennia since the fall of Republic City, an intended safe haven for Benders and Non-Benders alike after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai. Avatar Aang and his compatriots had good visions and hoped for the best, but you and I both know what happened._

_The rise and fall of the Equalists is in every history book today, but it is glossed over in a manner similar to Fire Lord Ozai’s 100-year reign of terror and the previous conflict of his father Sozin and Avatar Roku. One of the journals my mother came across was written by Avatar Roku_ **_himself,_ ** _actually, detailing his years studying and mastering the elements before confronting Sozin._

_I have Roku’s journal as well as Sozin’s, and even one from Ozai. I have writings from_ **_every_ ** _nation during_ **_every_ ** _era, and I wish I could ask my mother where she even got them. I am currently going through Master Tenzin’s logs, reading about Avatar Korra’s arrival in Republic City and the subsequent arise of the Equalists._

_Did you know that they were nonviolent until her arrival? Avatar Korra was apparently a spitfire of a woman, which I can appreciate immensely. I will return with my thoughts after lunch, as you are well aware of my schedule after all these years._

_And I_ **_did_ ** _eat this morning, thank you. Ikki brought me a muffin. I did not however ask her where she got it from (which is probably for the best)._

••• 

_Good afternoon, my most faithful companion. Today, I enjoyed a toasted sandwich packed with meats and vegetables, since I know in my heart that you would be getting on me about my eating habits. I would, in turn, admonish you for fussing about my unhealthy habits and tell you to stuff it._

_There were rumors that, after Amon (leader of the Equalists, but you know this) took away Avatar Korra’s bending, she was finally able to unlock her Airbending. I have no way of confirming these rumors, as even Master Tenzin refused to write any more on the subject (most likely in fear that his journals would one day be discovered and thoroughly inspected), but it would be a very poetic and bittersweet happenstance, no?_

_As most everyone knows, after Amon took away the Avatar’s bending, he began a crusade against Benders like no one’s ever seen before. Every single Bender in Republic City had their bending taken away, and some of the more powerful or influential were even_ **_killed._ ** _The Equalists took to the far corners of the world and ensured that no one could bend any longer._

_But the thing with that is, just because you take one person’s bending away, doesn’t mean you erased their_ **_heritage._ **

_Sure, no Benders cropped up any time soon after that, but if Avatar Korra did indeed retain her Airbending, it would explain why that was the first to resurface, albeit several hundred years after Amon and the Equalists had all passed on. Before you say anything, I know that just because there was no_ **_documentation_ ** _of bending doesn’t mean that there were_ **_no_ ** _Benders, and I think you more than anyone knows that I am very acutely aware of that._

_However, even after there were no more Benders in the world, the discrimination did not go away. It wasn’t about Benders versus Non-Benders anymore, but people found other things to tease and mock and jeer about. Gender and skin color and disabilities were already something people took to insulting when they met their match in bending, but it got so much worse after Amon. Even today do people still mock others for their perceived weakness or “less-than” qualities,_ **_especially_ ** _ones that aren’t physically visible._

_Again, you more than anyone know that I am entirely too aware of that._

_I’m off to study and train some more, but I will return after dinner._

••• 

_Good evening my most faithful companion. Tonight, I splurged and dined on the best takeout money can buy. If you choose now to become sentient and mock me for my ever-growing love for fried chicken, I_ **_will_ ** _set you on fire._

_While Airbending was the first to return to our world, a new phenomenon occurred. More often than not, people would find themselves bending more than one element. It wouldn’t always make sense either; for example, while Air and Water are similar enough, and as are Air and Fire, and even the most stubborn skeptic would see the unironic irony in bending both Air and Earth, I’m not talking about the main elements. People would bend Lightning without being able to bend Fire at all, or Metal without having shifted a single tectonic plate. Bloodbenders and Lightningbenders were coveted in hospitals because they were so rare (ah yes, it wasn’t in this century that the stigma around Bloodbending disappeared, would you have ever thought?) and Plantbenders assisted in revitalizing the Earth after one too many World Wars._

_Even with all of these new abilities sprouting across the world like dandelions, there was never any sighting of a possible Avatar. There have been people who could bend all four secondary elements and even the_ **_tertiary_ ** _elements, but none that could bend the main elements._

_Well, none until_ **_me_ ** _at least._

_Don’t worry, my loyal diary. I am staying safe and hidden and training with the White Lotus’ journals. General Iroh I’s logs are most informative for he is the one who adopted fighting styles from all four nations and later documented the secondary elements._

_I will however say that I am not looking forward to trying to bend Light again. It is so much easier during the day, even if I cannot see my progress as easily as I can at night (but of course, then it is lack of progress)._

••• 

_My most faithful companion, you continue to remain my sole tie to this world and the one thing keeping me sane. If I ever find a way to cross into the Spirit World, I will force your sentience out of you. I am slowly going crazy conversing with only you and the animals. Agni, lovely though he is, is still a non-communicative bearded dragon; Ikki continues to dig up my plants, because there is no amount of Bending that will deter that scoundrel of a flying squirrel; Yue still refuses to even come near me when I stick my head in her pond; and I’m too busy trying to save Bhumi's leg to strike a casual conversation with the blind badger, poor thing._

_I will write to you again in the morning, as always. Goodnight, my most faithful companion._

•••

**Author's Note:**

> if you wish to see more, bug me here or on Tumblr: saltycaramelnut


End file.
